“Staff meeting!” Dad cries out, trying to get the attention of everyone. “Staff meeting everyone.”
“Staff meeting?” I mutter to myself. Usually he only wants to speak to me or Charlie. He leaves the day to day running to us, and the dealing with the people below him. He will go around and speak to them, showing off like crazy, making sure that everyone hears him as he gives me shit, but this is different.
He might be about to kick me out now. Since I didn’t agree to his plan, this might well be his way of getting rid of me. This is just the sort of way that he’d love to do it. With an audience.
As I leave my office, I jut my chin out and hold my head up high. Let him do this. It’ll suck, but I will survive. Plus, I really don’t give a shit if he wants to do it in front of everyone else to make a show. Let him.
I stand at the back of the crowd and fold my arms to hold myself together. I glare at my father, letting him know just how I feel but he doesn’t even deem me important enough to look at. He gives every other person nice smiles and little greetings, but his own son isn’t damn good enough.
What an asshole. At least he is teaching me one thing, and that’s how not to be a father. I won’t make any of these mistakes. I intend to actually be a good parent to my child, and build a good relationship. I’m going to be everything that he isn’t. I can’t wait to be the decent dad, to be an awesome parent.
“Thank you all for coming over to me. I appreciate that.” Dad nods and smiles thinly, making a big show. “I know you all have a lot to do and I am always happy to see you working hard. But today, I have something very important to discuss with you. Something that affects us all. I mean, this company needs to work well for us all to have our jobs. That’s why we all want to make it a success, don’t we?”
He looks around at everyone expectantly and they all give him what he wants by making agreeable noises. It’s almost laughable really. They are all walking headfirst into his trap and they don’t even seem to notice.
“So, if people aren’t acting according to the employee handbook then they will have to go.”
Okay, here we go… right towards the tunnel of doom. The focus will turn on me at any given moment.
“Employee relationships are frowned upon. Obviously, we can’t always avoid them, but they certainly can’t happen under this roof here. That is incredibly inappropriate. I would assume that you all know that…”
A small whisper bursts up. I don’t know why, it isn’t exactly like they don’t know who it is. I roll my eyes almost to the back of my head. This is fucking ridiculous. I can’t stand it. I wish that he would just get on with it already. Put me out of my misery. Let this day carry on without me.
“So, with that being said, since there has been a relationship going on, happening underneath this ceiling, which has also led to unfair financial benefits as well, and offers that other employees wouldn’t have been given, plus there is now a baby on the way because of this… someone has to go.”
My fists ball up as an ice cold anger over takes me. I didn’t tell my dad that so he could spread the information around. What sort of prick is he? Every single time I think he can’t get any worse, he does.
“Lexi Tyler.” What the fuck? I can’t breathe. “You are fired…”
She lets out a howl, unlike anything I have ever heard from a human being before, and she runs from the building. I want to run after her, but I’m frozen to the spot, trying to work out if this is a nightmare or not.
“So, please,” Dad continues with a smirk that I know is just for me. “Take this as a warning.”
There are sore words, but they don’t sink in. My brain is buzzing with sheer fucking anger and fear. I have no idea what this means, but I know that I have to do something. If that’s a way my father thinks is acceptable to behave, then I am done. I don’t need him in my family at all. It might mean that I don’t get to see my mom as much then so be it. I won’t like that, but I can’t exactly do anything about it, can I?
“Fuck you…” Those words must come out of my mouth louder than I intend to because it silences everyone. All eyes swivel around to look at me, their eyes widen in surprise. I consider walking away for a moment, but then I realize that I have more to say, and now is the time. “Fuck you, Dad, you are an asshole. I can’t believe you would do that to me. To Lexi. You have no idea what you have just done. I mean, that woman… no, you know what, I’m not going to tell you because you don’t deserve to know. Especially since you have done this in the most embarrassing, public way possible. You’re a prick. So, fuck you. If this is how you do business, then I am out. I’m done with this place and you. Fuck you.”
I leave an audible gasp behind me, but I know this is the right thing to do. It’s time to get out of this mess at last.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lexi
I run all the way home, tears streaming down my cheeks, anger rising through me as I go. I can’t believe that just happened. Isaac warned me about his dad being a prick, but this is… just wow. He thinks that I’m less than him, this much is obvious. Because I’m not rich, and I don’t look like he thinks I should, I don’t even deserve a private firing. I’m less than a fucking animal in his eyes.
He wants me out of his son’s life, just like I knew he would, I just didn’t think he would go about it like this. That was low, manipulative, disgusting, the worst. I would never treat another human that way. I’m sure it’s given people a whole lot to gossip about, which they’ll love. Not that I really care. I have more important things to worry about, like money. I know that I might not have to pay for Jane’s treatment anymore, but I still want to be able to buy her stuff to make her time in the hospital more bearable. Plus, I have my apartment costs to cover. I don’t want to have to move in with Isaac out of need. If that happens, it would be better if it was because we want to. And my baby as well. I need to have lots of stuff for my child…
I grab my apartment keys out of my bag and with a trembling hand I unlock the door. I fall through the door and without thinking much about it, I grab a giant bag out from the cupboard and start tossing things in it. I need to be away from this place for a bit, have a break, get my head together. I don’t intend to go too far because I need to be around for Jane, but I can’t be here. This has fucked me up too much.
The lengths that he went to, in an attempt to split us up, just proves what I already feared. If Isaac remains with me, he will lose everything. I can’t ask that of him, it isn’t right. He will end up resenting me, and we’ll be doomed. I know that if my mom was still here and she didn’t approve, I wouldn’t be able to carry on, so I can’t expect him to. Just like my rational brain knew, outside factors are powerful enough to tear us apart. I got lost in the romance for a little bit – but I can’t again. My heart can’t take it. I already feel utterly shattered by this moment, and the deeper
I get, the worse it will become.
Of course I’m not going to be lucky enough to have an amazing baby daddy. Why would that happen to me? I have never been as lucky as that. I don’t know why that would be different now.
There’s a knocking at the door, which makes me groan so loudly my bones vibrate. I don’t want to see anyone right now, I just want to wallow as I pack and make my escape to God knows where.
“Lexi, it’s me,” Isaac calls through the door. Of course it’s him. I should have guessed. “Please, let me in.”